Ben Sebena receives sentence for killing police officer wife

An Iraq War veteran who pleaded guilty to shooting his wife, a Wauwatosa police officer, received his sentence Friday.

Ben Sebena, 30, initially pleaded insanity. But he changed his plea in June after two doctors concluded that his mental-health issues weren't severe enough to justify an insanity plea.

Judge David Borowski sentenced Sebena Friday to life in prison with parole eligibility after 35 years.

Sebena's defense team requested 20 to 25 years before parole eligibility. The state argued for 50 to 60 years before eligibility.

"You brought an act of war to Wauwatosa," Borowski said to Sebena, who served two tours in Iraq with the Marines.

Borowski cited a U.S. Supreme Court case in which the findings indicate that a court should "consider the emotional stress and toll that combat takes on a defendant such as Mr. Sebena."

Sebena was convicted of ambushing 30-year-old officer Jennifer Sebena as she conducted a solo pre-dawn patrol on Christmas Eve.

He told investigators he was a jealous husband.

Attorney Michael Steinle said Sebena was suicidal last December, and said Jennifer told Ben if he committed suicide, so would she. So Sebena decided to kill Jennifer first. "He could not bear his wife losing her access to heaven if she killed herself as a result of his own suicide," the memo said.

Judge Borowski dismissed that claim stating that it was difficult for him "to believe Jen entered into any type of agreement relative to them taking their lives."

He said Jennifer may have stated that it would be difficult to go on if Ben were commit suicide.

"But how that got twisted in the tortured thought process of this defendant is hard to comprehend," Borowski said.

"I am sorry," Sebena said when addressing the court. "If I could replace my life with hers, I would do it. Without a doubt."

Ben's mother, Linda , told the court "I forgive Ben and leave his future in the hands of God and the criminal justice system."

Copyright 2013 by WISN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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